The Seer
by ManateeMama
Summary: Sometimes it takes a total stranger to help us see through the veil of our own fear and indecision.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Brenda and Fritz are engaged and Fritz wants to see a wedding ceremony in their future. Brenda, however, would rather deal with a corpse than plan a wedding. This story takes place in Season 4, just before "Split Ends".**

**Chapter 1:**

"Brenda, we have an emergency situation." Will Pope had burst into her office without knocking.

She looked up from her computer screen and waited for him to continue. She didn't have to wait long.

"Gary Logan has just been murdered."

"Gary Logan, the guy who is runnin' for Congress?"

"Yes. He was at a restaurant called Tillner's pressing the flesh when he was shot. I need you to work this one quickly, but by the book. We don't want media hassles. So get your men there immediately. Do you know where that is? You can get the address from Rollout and…"

"I know where it is, Will. We're on our way," she replied as she stood up and grabbed her purse. Walking into the Murder Room she called out, "All right, everybody, we've got a murder." She instantly had everyone's attention. "Gary Logan was just shot at Tillner's restaurant in Los Feliz. There's gonna be a lot of media attention on this case because he was runnin' for Congress so Chief Pope wants us to solve this quickly. But the press is gonna second guess everythin' we do so double check what you're doin', all right? Lights and sirens, everyone, lights and sirens."

Her pronouncement pumped renewed life into the squad. "Let's go, everyone," Provenza said.

"Someone grab Buzz. Thank you," and she headed out the door with her squad following her.

"Do you want me to drive?" Gabriel asked.

"Do you know where it is?"

"No, but I assume you have the address."

"No, I don't, but I've been there before so I'll drive."

"Do you want to deal with more dead bodies today?"

"Very funny, Sergeant. I'll have you know that I'm an excellent driver. But if you'd feel better, you can drive and I'll give you the directions."

"Thank you. I would feel much better," and they got into Sgt. Gabriel's car.

"Gary Logan… Isn't he that racist who's running for Congress?" he asked.

"Yeah. Well, I guess someone just voted against him. And we need to find out who."

* * *

><p>Tillner's was located right in the middle of a clutch of haute couture boutiques. To say that it looked out of place was not only an understatement, it was also a testament to the tenacity of the Tillner family. The patriarch, Jonas Tillner, began the restaurant when he returned from WWII. With the renewed emphasis on the entertainment industry, that section of Los Feliz boomed and the sleepy little village put on airs. When he refused to sell, developers tried to force Jonas out of business so they could level his restaurant and erect architecture more in keeping with the area's new-found affluence. But he fought back successfully and taught his sons to resist the urge to cater only to the nouveau riche around them. He felt a moral obligation to provide the best tasting food at reasonable prices to the common man who occupied a shrinking chapter in the Los Feliz success story. It was no accident that Gary Logan chose Tillner's to press the flesh for a photo op. Most politicians beat a path to Tillner's door for the same purpose.<p>

When they arrived, Taylor was already there speaking to the press. He saw them and signaled to Brenda so she waited for him to finish his sentence and excuse himself.

"Commander, I'm guessin' that we don't have the shooter?"

"No, ma'am, we don't. Logan was shot once in the back at close range. The restaurant was packed with eye witnesses, though. Robbery Homicide secured the scene and was about to start taking statements when Chief Pope ordered us to just detain everyone and wait for Priority Homicide."

She nodded and entered the small, family-type restaurant. Buzz was already there filming the scene and Lt. Tao immediately began examining the physical evidence while Provenza prompted Sanchez to begin calculating where the shooter was standing. The rest of the squad fanned out and began taking witness statements. As she surveyed the scene Brenda saw a woman she recognized and she was not surprised to see her.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Ten months previously…<em>**

_"__Where are we goin'?" Brenda asked as Fritz drove down the unfamiliar street._

_"__Dave told me about a restaurant called Tillner's. I'd like to try it," he explained as he turned the corner._

_"__But I'm hungry for shrimp. Does this place have good shrimp?"_

_"__Dave says that everything on the menu is good, but they're really known for their homemade pies."_

_"__In that case I like the place already," she grinned as Fritz pulled into the parking lot._

_While waiting for the waitress Brenda looked around at the tables and cheap, naugahyde-covered seats. She squinted to see the photos of the Tillner family, the early days of the restaurant, and the Los Feliz street scenes from the 1940s and 50s. After their orders had been taken and conversation had resumed, Fritz changed the subject. "There's a woman over at that table in the corner by the window who is staring at us."_

_Brenda turned her head and glanced at the woman. "You're right. She's definitely checkin' us out, but I don't recognize her. Have you ever seen her before?"_

_"__No, I've never seen her. I'd remember her."_

_"__Well, if she's gonna stare at us, I don't mind starin' back," she said and turned her head again to look at the woman who was alone and still looking at them. _She's one of the most unattractive women I've ever seen_. But Brenda didn't feel contempt for the strange woman. Her experiences with the worst human nature had to offer convinced her that others would do that. No, Brenda felt compassion for her and wondered what events in her life led her to disregard her appearance. _Brenda's experiences led her to conclude, __She probably doesn't think she matters to anyone.

_The strange woman was Caucasian, in her late 60s or early 70s, and she probably weighed close to three hundred pounds, a decided rarity in that part of LA. But that wasn't the woman's most distinctive feature. She possessed a diminishing amount of thin, wispy hair, grey in color, and so short that it insisted on standing straight up. Brenda thought that the combination of that hair, the woman's narrow nose, and her large glasses gave her face the appearance of a baby owl. She noticed that her clothing was inexpensive - clean, but not stylish. _I doubt they make stylish clothin' in her size, _Brenda mused. And still the woman maintained her steady soulful gaze, seemingly with no embarrassment at having been caught._

_"__She's still starin'. Are you sure you don't recognize her?"_

_"__No, I'm sure."_

_"__Well, let's ignore her and just eat our dinner," Brenda said as she saw their waitress coming toward them with their orders._

_Dave had been right. Their shrimp was delicious and their desserts were to die for, so Tillner's became a frequent dining spot for them. And the strange woman apparently was also enamored of the place as she was usually there and always staring at them. But the food was worth repeat visits, and since the woman never approached them, they decided that she was just a local oddity whom they could ignore._

* * *

><p>"Lieutenant Provenza, has anyone taken that woman's statement, the one sittin' next to the window in the corner over there?"<p>

"Are you sure that's a woman?" Provenza joked. When Brenda's expression let him know that she expected a more professional response, he sighed and said, "No, not yet. Do you want me to interview her next?"

"Yes… No. On second thought, please ask Detective Daniels to talk to her, and I'd like you to grab the tape from that security camera." And she pointed to the lone camera mounted near the ceiling.

* * *

><p>Brenda and Sgt. Gabriel walked up the brick walkway to the impressive columned front porch of the Logan home. The housekeeper let them in and they were ushered into the living room to wait for Mrs. Logan. Soon a tall, elegant woman with salt and pepper hair wearing a tailored grey and white pant suit entered the room, smiled and said, "I'm Marguerite Logan. What can I do for the LAPD today? If you're here to discuss security for my husband's town hall meetings you'll have to talk to his campaign manager."<p>

Brenda thought _High society cool,_ but she just smiled at her and asked, "Mrs. Logan, when did you last talk to your husband?"

"This morning at breakfast. Why?"

"Did he seem concerned or upset about anythin'?"

"No, he seemed fine. Why? What's happened?"

"How are you and your husband gettin' on?"

"Fine. We have a good marriage. What is this about?"

"Do you know if he was havin' any problems with anyone?"

"No, he wasn't."

"What about with his business. Any trouble there?"

"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

Brenda let out a slow breath, "Ma'am I'm sorry to have to tell you that there was a shootin' this afternoon and your husband was killed."

Mrs. Logan froze for a minute and then began shaking her head, "No, no, no! That's not possible."

"I'm sorry but he was shot at a campaign function." Mrs. Logan sank into a chair sobbing. When she regained control Brenda asked again, "Was he havin' any problems with anyone that you know of?"

"No, I can't think of anyone. Oh, he and Greg argued, but he's in Detroit. And he wouldn't hurt his father, anyway. He adores his father."

"Is Greg your only child?"

"No, we have three children, two boys and a girl. Bill is in the Navy and is out to sea right now, and Debbie lives in New York."

"Did either of them have any problems with their father?"

"No. No, they don't. Gary always spoils… spoiled them."

"Could we have their contact information?" David asked as he withdrew his notebook from his jacket pocket.

"Of course, but please let me call them first to tell them what's happened. I don't want them to hear about this from the police or from the news."

"Certainly," Brenda replied.

"Where is Gary? Is he at a funeral home?"

"No, ma'am. He's at the county morgue." This information caused Mrs. Logan to begin crying again and prompted Brenda to explain. "When there's a homicide we're required to perform an autopsy. You'll be contacted about your choice of a funeral home when they're finished."

Mrs. Logan nodded and continued crying and both Brenda and David knew that they'd get nothing further from her so David asked, "Is there anyone we can call to be with you?"

"No, thank you," Mrs. Logan gulped. "I want to be alone right now and I need to call my family."

"We're so sorry for your loss," David said as they left and when they were out of earshot he said, "I hate notifications. They're the worst part of the job."

"They're bad, all right," Brenda agreed.

* * *

><p>News of the Logan murder was all over every channel that night. As Brenda and Fritz watched, he asked, "Is this your case?"<p>

"Yes, of course, but I'm afraid I'm gonna be runnin' down a lot of rabbit holes. We have a lot of eye witnesses who didn't see anythin' and Sanchez is still reelin' from his brother's death so it's gonna be hard. Oh, guess who one of the witnesses is."

"The staring lady?"

"Yeah. Detective Daniels interviewed her. I haven't seen her statement yet but Irene said she didn't see the shootin'. She certainly spends enough of her time starin' at people. I can't believe that she didn't get a good look at the shooter."

"While you're at it, maybe you can find out why she's so fascinated with us."

"I have the feelin' that the Interview Room with all my squad watchin' is not the place for that conversation."

"Well, she does seem to think she knows something about us. Or you," he grinned.

"Or you," she laughed as she poked him in the ribs.

After that exchange they resumed watching the news. Fritz took Brenda's hand and absentmindedly began rubbing his thumb over her engagement ring.

Brenda smiled up at him. "If you rub it any more I guess I'm gonna find out if this ring really came from Tiffany's or from a box of Cracker Jacks."

"What?" Fritz's attention snapped back to her, and when his mind caught up to the fact that she'd said something about her ring, he continued, "Tell me, have you given any more thought to a wedding date?"

"I haven't had much time to think about it. Will is pushin' me to solve this case. And I don't need you pushin' me too."

"If I don't push you we'll never get married."

"Well, that's just not true. I'll pick a date. Just not now, so quit buggin' me," an irritated Brenda replied. And she got up and went into the bathroom. It was the best way she could think of to bring finality to that conversation.

* * *

><p>The next morning Brenda was in her office reviewing the witness statements. They all said that there were many people milling around the restaurant when Gary Logan was shot and no one saw anyone acting strangely. They didn't see anyone either arguing or holding a weapon of any kind.<p>

One thing that Brenda noticed was that everyone denied hearing a shot. _If they didn't hear gunfire then the shooter must have used a silencer, and they're large and difficult to conceal. _She walked into the Murder Room and asked, "Lieutenant Tao, do we have the ballistics report yet?"

"I just got it. The gun was a Walther PPK 32 mil."

"Hmm. Unusual choice of weapons. History?"

"I entered the casing into NIBIN but no hits."

"Do we have any information about the bullet trajectory yet?"

"I was just about to head over to the morgue, Chief."

"Okay, keep workin' on it. Sergeant Gabriel, would you come with me, please?" As they walked down the hall, she said, "We're gonna pay a visit to the 'Logan for Congress' campaign headquarters to see what they have to say."

When they reached the elevators, they were intercepted by Will. "Chief Johnson, may I have a word with you?" Will and Brenda left Gabriel by the elevators and walked around the corner.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To Mr. Logan's campaign headquarters. Why?"

"I just don't want you slow-walking this case."

"Will, when have I ever slow-walked a case?"

"You went home last night. You didn't put in any extra time reviewing the evidence," he accused.

"I didn't have much evidence to review until this mornin'," Brenda snapped. "Besides, didn't you tell me last week that we have to stop workin' overtime?"

"I just don't want the press to get the idea we're dragging our feet on this case because of Logan's unpopular political views."

"Don't worry. We're not draggin' our feet. But you said to make sure that we do this right."

"Okay. Just please solve this case as quickly as you can."

"So that means you'll approve all necessary overtime for my whole squad." It wasn't a question.

"All right," Will sighed, "I'll clear it with Chief Thompson. Just please solve the case." And he spun on his heels and walked down the hall.

* * *

><p>When they drove down the street of small stores, the red, white and blue bunting over one door immediately identified the storefront headquarters of Gary Logan's Congressional campaign. Huge posters of the candidate smiled at them as they parked their car and walked to the front door.<p>

David stepped forward intending to open the door but it was locked so he knocked. A short, balding, middle aged man with red-rimmed eyes came out from a back room and spoke through the glass. "I'm sorry, but we're closed."

Brenda slapped her badge to the glass. "I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, LAPD, and this is Sergeant Gabriel. We need to ask you some questions." The man nodded and unlocked the door. When they were inside Brenda extended LAPD sympathies, "I'm so sorry for your loss but if we're gonna catch whoever killed Mr. Logan it's important that we move quickly." The man nodded once more and Brenda continued, "Let's start with your name."

"Patrick Melton."

"And what is your official position with the campaign?" David asked as he scribbled some notes.

"I was Gary's Campaign Manager."

"Do you know if anyone had ever threatened Mr. Logan?" Brenda asked.

Mr. Melton nodded, "He received several threats. His ideas were misunderstood by lots of people."

"Would you have a record of those threats?"

"Yes, we kept records of all of them and we turned them over to the LAPD and the FBI but since they were anonymous, I guess nothing ever came of them," Mr. Melton said sadly.

"Could we have that list?" Brenda asked.

"I can print off a copy for you, but I doubt you'll find anything useful. Cowards don't ever leave their names."

"No, they don't. But we'd like it, anyway. And if you have any hate mail, anythin' in someone's handwritin', I'd like that as well."

"Most of the threats were over the phone. The few hate notes we got were turned over to the FBI." Then Mr. Melton turned to Sgt. Gabriel. "Look, I want you to know that Mr. Logan's position regarding minorities was distorted by the press."

"Sir, he gave his views very clearly whenever the cameras were pointed at him," David bristled.

Brenda shot Gabriel a look intended to silence him, then turned back to Mr. Melton. "Do you know if anyone associated with his campaign became disillusioned with him, or had any kind of disagreement with him?"

"Most of us had disagreements from time to time. But everyone on the campaign all worked our hardest to see him get elected."

"What about someone who worked for another campaign?"

"No, I don't think any of the other candidates considered Mr. Logan a serious threat. We weren't even sure if we'd get enough signatures to get on the ballot."

"And did anyone workin' here ever notice anyone suspicious lurkin' around?"

"Not that I ever heard about, and I was here every day. We had rocks thrown through our windows twice, but that happened during the night and we don't know who did that."

"Did anyone report those incidents to the LAPD?"

"Of course, but you people didn't do anything about them. Maybe if you had, Gary would still be alive." Mr. Melton looked like he would cry.

"All right, then. If you could give me a printout of the complaints and a listin' of everyone who worked for the campaign, both paid staff and volunteers, I'd appreciate it."

Back in the car, Brenda said, "When we get back to the office check out those two rock throwin' complaints and see if any traffic or private surveillance cameras picked them up."

* * *

><p>When she entered the Murder Room she saw Provenza working a crossword puzzle. "Lieutenant, Chief Pope very pointedly reminded me that we don't have time to waste so put your puzzle away. Here's a list of everyone who worked for the Logan campaign. I'd like you and Lieutenant Flynn to check them out."<p>

"Yes, ma'am," Provenza said and took the list and gave half of it to Flynn.

"Detective Daniels, what can you tell me about your interview with the woman sittin' by the back window at Tillner's yesterday?"

"Her name is Joan Hillis but there's nothing in her statement. She struck me as very odd, though."

"Well, her size gave me that impression," Provenza observed.

"That, and the fact that she is almost bald," Flynn added. "The funny thing is she didn't look homeless or destitute to me. So why wouldn't she wear a wig?"

"No, definitely not destitute," Daniels agreed, "But also definitely not rich. She was wearing an expensive ring but her other jewelry was costume – Walmart quality."

"A diamond ring?"

"No, an emerald on her other hand, possibly a birthstone. But it wasn't small and it looked like the real deal. And one other thing, Chief. She seemed very intelligent. She anticipated my questions and she was very well-spoken."

"Did she say anythin' to you that's not in her statement?"

"She asked who you were. That was about it."

"Thank you, Detective."

David then reported, "I spoke to Captain DiLeoni and Hollywood Division has reports of the vandalism cases including security camera footage. He says there was no help there but he's sending everything over."

"Thank you, Sergeant. While you're waitin' please check out Logan's business relationships," Brenda ordered as she walked into her office to read through the statements again.

When she got to Joan Hillis' statement she scoured it closely to see if there was anything which indicated something the other witnesses had missed, but there was nothing. She stated that there were a lot of people milling around and that from where she was seated she couldn't see Mr. Logan because of the number of people who were jockeying for position close to him. She also did not hear the shot. She just saw people reacting when Mr. Logan fell.

But something struck Brenda as odd. Gary Logan was a minor candidate who was running as an independent, not represented by a major political party. Even his campaign chairman had said that he was largely ignored by the other candidates.

Almost all the witness statements identified the people pressing in toward the candidate as members of the press. But Joan Hillis did not. Brenda knew from her own experience that members of the press wear official press badges on lanyards which readily identify them and give them access. _Did Joan Hillis miss that? And if she missed such an obvious detail,_ w_hy would Logan's Meet & Greet be gettin' so much press coverage? _ She got up from her desk and walked back out into the Murder Room. "Detective Daniels, would you come with me, please?"

As they got into the elevator Irene asked, "Where are we going?"

"How do you feel about gettin' some lunch with Joan Hillis?"

_To Be Continued…_

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

As Brenda suspected, they found their witness sitting at her usual table at Tillner's. But this time she didn't appear to be staring at anyone in particular.

"Joan Hillis? I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson of the LAPD and I'm sure that you remember Detective Daniels. May we join you?" Brenda didn't wait for a reply and she and Daniels took their seats opposite Joan.

For a moment Joan riveted her with the same penetrating gaze that Brenda knew so well. Then she coolly replied, "All right. What do you want to know?"

"I'd like to review what you observed when Gary Logan was killed."

"It's all in the statement I gave to this detective," Joan replied indicating Det. Daniels. At this point they were interrupted by the waitress who asked if they'd like to see menus.

"No, thank you," Brenda replied as she showed her badge. When the waitress left she turned back to Joan and said, "Yes, but I'd like to go over your statement again so let's start at the beginnin'. Please tell us again what you saw."

"Certainly," Joan said and then recounted sitting at the same table when Gary Logan entered. She said that he was immediately surrounded by other patrons. Other people then entered the restaurant and clustered around him too. Since she was sitting down she did not have a clear view of the candidate but heard him asking people for their votes. Suddenly she witnessed people recoiling and screaming as several people knelt beside Mr. Logan and shouted for someone to call 911.

"Were the people who came in reporters?"

"I don't think so. I didn't see a press badge or a microphone."

"I see. Did you hear gunshots?"

"No. Just people screaming."

"Was anyone arguin' or threatenin'? Did any voices sound angry or excited?"

"No one was arguing or threatening. And many voices were excited. After all, they were meeting a Congressional candidate. And I know you're going to ask so I'll tell you that many people ran out of the restaurant when Mr. Logan was shot. I can't give you an exact number, but I'd say around twenty or twenty-five, both men and women."

"Were any of the people who left people you knew, or recognized?"

"I didn't know any of them personally but I recognized three who are regulars. A couple who are about my age and a woman in her 40s who comes here every week at about the same time."

"Were any of the people who left part of the group surroundin' Mr. Logan?"

"The ones I recognized were all seated eating. Since I couldn't see everyone who was standing with Mr. Logan, I can't say about the rest."

"Did you notice if anyone in the restaurant was actin' unusual?"

"There was a man wearing a khaki anorak, the kind with one pocket across the front. I thought that was unusual since it was a warm, sunny day."

"Can you describe him?"

He was tall, over six feet, dark hair, in his 30s, I'd say. I didn't get his eye color and I didn't see any marks or scars."

"This is very helpful. Would you be willin' to sit with a sketch artist?" When Joan nodded Brenda continued, "I only have one more question for now. Are any other customers who were here at the time of the shootin' here today?"

"No. No one."

"Well, thank you very much for your help. We'll be in touch to arrange the sketch artist." Brenda then turned to Irene and said, "And now I think we need to talk to the staff again."

They didn't gain much additional information from the employees. One or two said that they remembered a man in a jacket but they were unable to give any more of a description as he was not a customer. They assumed he just came in to meet Mr. Logan and didn't pay much attention to him.

As they drove back to Parker Center, Brenda said, "I think we need to check the security cameras around Tillner's for someone wearin' an anorak. Please check that out. And please arrange for Joan Hillis to meet with a sketch artist."

* * *

><p>When they got back to the office Brenda asked David what he'd discovered about Logan's business.<p>

"I've spoken to a few of Mr. Logan's business associates and there doesn't seem to have been problems there. His role was that of investor, not a manager."

"All right. Detective Sanchez, check out the Logan kids' alibis, please. And Lieutenant Tao, when that footage starts comin' in Buzz may need some help sortin' through it all."

"Sure, Chief."

Brenda then picked up the files Captain DiLeoni had sent over and carried them back to her office. After she read through them she picked up the phone. "Hi, Fritzi. Got a minute?"

"That depends. Are you going to talk dirty to me?"

Brenda smiled at his request. "No, sorry. At least not now. I need to ask you some questions about the Gary Logan case."

"I'm not sure I can help you."

"The campaign manager said they reported the threats made against Mr. Logan to the FBI. I want to know what you have on those threats and I need..."

"Wait. Before you go any further, I need to tell you that the Bureau is conducting its own investigation into Logan's death."

"WHAT? You didn't say anythin' to me about that!"

"I just found out about it an hour ago. It wasn't a local decision. Our orders came directly from Homeland Security in DC."

"Are you gonna be workin' on it? Because if you are, couldn't we work together?"

"No, I'm not assigned. Paul Gersich is. I'm sure you'll be hearing from him."

"Oh, God! That insufferable jerk?"

"He's an okay guy. Give him a chance."

"A chance? You mean like he gave me a chance to do all the work and then he just swooped in and stole both of my suspects? That kind of a chance?"

"Brenda, when are you going to accept the fact that the FBI and the LAPD have different agendas and sometimes their mandates are going to be in conflict?"

"Never!" she fumed. "Not if the FBI jerks are gonna keep on stealin' my suspects after I've done all the work catchin' them. But I don't want to talk about that right now."

Fritz slumped back into his chair and rubbed his face. "Well, what then?"

"Can I listen to the phone messages and read the notes, at least?"

"I don't know. Pope will have to request it from Director Walling. He did say he's aware that the LAPD is also working the case so maybe he'll agree to a joint operation. But Pope will have to arrange that. And remember that it will be entirely Director Walling's call." Brenda let out a sigh but said nothing so after a minute he asked, "Brenda, are you still there?"

"I'm here. I'm just tryin' to figure out what to do next. Tell me. Did the Bureau take all the other stores' security footage too?"

"Since it's not my case I don't know for sure, but if we haven't yet, I'm sure we will."

"Well, I'll make sure to tell Will to ask _real_ nice if we can get copies of everythin' you've got."

"Good," Fritz replied, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. I'll probably be gettin' home late tonight so don't count on me for dinner," and she slammed down the phone.

Brenda stood up and started to Will's office but then turned back to the Murder Room. "I just spoke to Agent Howard and the FBI is now investigatin' this case too. He thinks the Bureau is takin' the security camera footage. But just in case they don't have it yet, keep on it. Apparently the Bureau is just now startin' their investigation of the murder so we may be able to get the jump on them. Detective Daniels, let's see if we can beat the FBI to that footage."

"I've called the stores on either side and across the street. They still have their tapes and I told them someone would pick it up."

"Go get it right now, Detective. And hurry up before Agent Gersich gets there. Lieutenant Tao, you and Buzz are gonna have to copy it just as soon as we get our hands on it because once he knows we have it, he'll be right over to grab everythin'."

"Yes, Chief," both Irene and Tao replied.

* * *

><p>Brenda knocked on Will's door and opened it when he told her to come in. He was talking to Taylor and looked up from his desk and invited her to take a seat. When she told him of the FBI's involvement, he leaned back in his chair and replied, "Well, I'm not surprised. A Congressional candidate's murder would certainly catch Homeland Security's attention."<p>

"Maybe we should just hand everything over to the Feds," Cmdr. Taylor suggested. "That will save us a lot of overtime expense and media scrutiny, not to mention embarrassment if we can't catch the killer."

Brenda bristled at his suggestion. "But we've already put a lot of work into this case and I know we can solve it faster than Agent Gersich can."

"Paul Gersich is assigned to this case?"

Brenda saw the scowl on Will's face and knew that Gersich's involvement was a big point in her favor. He had also been upset at the way Gersich had muscled his way into the LAPD and removed her suspects after they had confessed, and then openly bragged about how his "success" proved the FBI's superiority.

"That's what I was just told. So I was wonderin' if you could talk to Director Walling and request that we be allowed to see all the evidence they've collected in this case."

"I'm not sure he'll agree to all that, but John Walling is not unreasonable. And he did just make a statement at a press conference about how public safety demands that law enforcement work together. I'll give him a call. In the meantime keep working on the case."

"Thank you, Will. Commander," Brenda nodded to Taylor and left Will's office.

* * *

><p>About forty-five minutes later, Irene returned with a box of security camera tapes. When Brenda saw her she went out into the Murder Room.<p>

"I got tapes from all but two of the cameras. One recycles their tape every 24 hours and the manager of one store insisted that he had to hold onto his tape for the FBI."

"Didn't the Bureau ask the other stores for their tapes?" Brenda asked in surprise.

"Probably, but after getting turned down, I just told the others that I was there as agreed to pick up the tapes. They handed them over without asking to see my ID."

"Good job, Irene!" Brenda laughed and turned to Buzz. "We won't have these tapes long. You need to copy them right away."

He looked at the contents of the box. "I can copy the DVDs really fast but these VCR tapes are going to take a lot longer."

"Well, get started on it. Lieutenant Tao, ask SID if they can lend a hand copyin' tapes. And let me know if you think we need Robbery Homicide's help too. We've got a very narrow window here."

"We can copy the tapes, but the quality of the VCR copies won't be as good as the originals," Buzz cautioned.

"In that case, keep the originals and put the copies into the box for the FBI," Brenda replied, eliciting grins from the members of her squad.

Over the next few hours, they copied tapes and DVDs, then began watching them. Brenda had told them all to be looking for a dark haired man wearing a khaki jacket entering the restaurant just before the murder and exiting right after.

She finished checking one DVD and walked into the Electronics Room to bring out some more. "Buzz, how come there are no VCR tapes here?"

"The originals are in a box under my desk and the copies are all in that box over there waiting for the FBI, but I don't think we need to go through them all."

"Why not?"

"I copied them. But even better, I was able to fast forward to the hour before and the hour after the murder and I copied all that material onto DVDs. Two DVDs have the same useable footage as four security tapes."

"Wonderful, Buzz. That will speed thangs up a lot."

"So do you still want to keep the originals?"

"Yes. We'll need them for court."

Irene opened the door. "Agent Gersich is here asking for the tapes and he's not in a good mood."

"Thank you, Detective Daniels. Please tell him I'll be right out." When Irene left, Brenda turned to Buzz and asked, "Have we finished copyin' everythin'?"

"SID just brought the tapes up that they copied and I'm almost finished with the last one. I just need a few more minutes."

"Okay. As soon as you've finished bring me the copy and we'll tell him that we missed one. We wouldn't want him to get the idea that the LAPD was withholdin' vital evidence from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, now would we?"

Buzz just grinned and Brenda walked out carrying the box of tapes. "Hello, Agent Gersich, how nice to see you again."

"Right. I'm here to collect the security camera footage you took." His tone was accusatory.

"The LAPD has an open case on the Logan murder too, and I'm sure you're aware that we've had our case longer than you've had yours."

"The murder of a Congressional candidate is a matter of national security. You should have handed everything you've got over to us immediately."

"All we have is this box of tapes and our ballistics report. You can have the box. Do you want a copy of that report, as well?"

"Yes, and I'd also like the bullet, the casing and your case files on the vandalism of the victim's office."

"Oh, yes, of course. I wonder where those are. I suppose SID has the casin'. I'll have to put through a request for that and look for the bullet," she said as Tao slid two plastic baggies into his desk drawer. "Well, I'll take care of that. Lieutenant Tao, do you have the ballistics report?"

Tao saw that she was stalling for time so he replied, "Not right here but I can look for it."

"Great. Will you make a copy of it for our FBI friend here while I look for those vandalism reports?"

"Certainly." Tao then moved to the Electronics room and sat down at a computer terminal where he could pull up the ballistics and vandalism reports and print them without being seen, while Brenda shuffled through papers on top of filing cabinets. When Buzz finished copying the VCR tape, Tao brought the reports back into the Murder Room. "Here they are, Chief."

Brenda had her back to Agent Gersich so she whispered, "Is Buzz finished yet?"

"Mm hmm," Tao whispered back to her just as Buzz came from Electronics.

"Chief Johnson, here's another tape. I just found it lying on top of my filing cabinet."

"Oh, thank you, Buzz." Then she turned to Gersich who was looking extremely annoyed. She smiled sweetly as she dropped the copy into the box with the others and said, "Here you go. We wouldn't want to miss anythin' you need. What with national security bein' at stake and all."

"Right," he replied, "You wouldn't happen to have the bullet sitting on top of your filing cabinet too, would you?"

"No, but I'd be happy to put that request through right away for you," Brenda smiled innocently.

Agent Gersich's face flushed with anger, and without waiting, he stalked out of the Murder Room looking at his watch and muttering to himself about the incompetent LAPD wasting valuable Bureau time.

After he left, Brenda reminded the squad that they were searching the DVDs for a tall dark haired man wearing a khaki anorak.

About an hour later Lt. Flynn said, "I think I've found him, Chief. Here's a guy in a khaki jacket and he fits the description." The entire squad gathered around Flynn's desk to watch the man walk into the restaurant with his left hand in the front pocket of the anorak. A few minutes later, he was seen running out of the restaurant amid several panicky people.

"Okay, everyone. Now that we've found him we want to check the other cameras to see how he got away. Lieutenant, back the DVD up to just before we see him goin' inside and stop it." Then she turned and called Buzz and asked him to come into the Murder Room. When he appeared she asked, "Buzz can you capture a good face shot and enlarge it from this piece of video?"

"It's not very clear but let me see what I can do."

"Thank you." And Brenda turned back to her squad, "Now that you've all seen him, we need to see how he got away."

"I think I have that," Provenza said. "Here's a man wearing a khaki jacket getting into a red car."

As she moved to see his monitor she asked, "Can we see his face?"

"No. His back is to the camera the whole time."

"What about a license plate?"

"No. All we see is the side of the car."

"Well, check the other cameras, everybody, and let's see if we can see a face and a plate number. And let's figure out the make and model of that car."

"I have traffic camera shots for the hour before the shooting and an hour after the shooting, Chief," Tao said. "If we can get the face or plate number I might be able to find him on one of these cameras."

"Did we give copies of those to the FBI?" she asked.

"He never asked for them and I guess they must have slipped my mind," he replied with a slight smile.

"Lieutenant Tao, you are so devious. I'm proud of you," she said with a broad grin. "Okay, everyone. We've got a lot more film to sort through. Let's keep goin'."

* * *

><p>It was late when Brenda finally pulled into the driveway. The lights were still on and she found Fritz on the couch, in his PJs, with his bare feet on the coffee table watching the news with the remote in his hand. Without taking his eyes off the screen he said, "The news is still talking about the Logan murder. And Taylor held a press conference."<p>

"Of course he did. That's his favorite thang to do… gettin' his face in front of the cameras. What did he say?"

"That the LAPD is vigorously investigating the case and hopes for FBI cooperation. Did Pope ask Director Walling for a joint investigation?"

"He said he would."

"Well, I sure hope he did because John Walling isn't going to like it if he feels that the LAPD is trying to use the media to force his hand." When Brenda slumped onto the couch beside him, he put his arm around her and gave her a hug and a kiss. "Did you eat anything today?"

"Just candy. I didn't have time to get a meal."

"Would you like me to scramble some eggs for you?"

"Thank you, honey, but I don't want to eat that much now. Maybe I'll just make some toast."

"You look exhausted. Let me make it for you. Do you want some of your mother's homemade peach preserves?"

When she replied, "Yes, please," he got up from the couch and went into the kitchen.

After he put the bread into the toaster he turned toward her and said, "Speaking of your mother, you got something in the mail from her today."

"What is it?"

"It was addressed to you so I didn't open it. Here, let me get it for you," and he walked into the dining room, picked up a large envelope, and handed it to her.

When Brenda tore into it, several clippings fell onto her lap. She looked through them and when Fritz brought the toast and a glass of milk to her she said, "These are all magazine and newspaper clippin's about weddin's… choosin' an officiant… how to negotiate the price for venues… ideas for weddin' gowns and flowers… Selectin' gifts for the attendants. And this one's about choosin' a weddin' date accordin' to our astrological signs. Ughhh. She isn't gonna stop until she drives me crazy."

"She's just excited because her only daughter is getting married."

"Well, she needs to… Wait a minute. Did you put her up to this? Are the two of you in cahoots against me?"

"Of course not. But I do admit to wanting to take these wedding plans faster than you want to."

"Well, I've got a news flash for both of you. I will not be rushed into this weddin' by either one of you so you both just need to quit pressurin' me until I'm ready to work on it." Then she looked at the toast and milk and said, "I'm not hungry. I'm gonna go to bed." And she got up and stomped out of the room like a petulant child.

Fritz shook his head and sighed, "I'm beginning to wonder if she'll ever set a date." He picked up a piece of toast and took a bite and then picked up one of the magazine clippings and started reading.

_To Be Continued._

**Again, please leave your review. Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

When Brenda entered the Murder Room her staff was waiting for her. "Well, what new information do we have?" she asked.

"Joan Hillis met with the sketch artist last night," Irene said as she handed Brenda a drawing.

Brenda circulated the drawing as she spoke, "Keep this picture in mind as you interview people."

When the drawing got to Buzz he reported, "I could only get a partial of his face but they could be the same person," as he handed Brenda a photograph.

Provenza turned in his chair and said, "Julio has an update." When he didn't respond Provenza flicked his ruler at him. "Julio!"

"Oh, right," Sanchez replied and refocused his attention. "Chief, two of Logan's children arrived here last night. Bill is on a ship off the coast of Japan. Now, I spoke to his commanding officer and they're aware of the situation but they can't get him off the ship for a few more days."

"Do we know how long he's been there?" Brenda asked.

"He's been stationed in Japan for four months and out to sea for two weeks."

"All right, we can eliminate him as a suspect so we'll let the family deal with him while we concentrate on the other two. What have we learned about Greg's and Debbie's alibis?"

"They were both at work when the murders occurred," Sanchez replied, "Their employers have confirmed that."

"We still need to get them in here for interviews. Detective Sanchez, will you please arrange that?"

An hour later, Sanchez knocked on Brenda's door. "Chief, Logan's kids are here along with Mrs. Logan. Where do you want them?"

"Mrs. Logan came too?" When Sanchez nodded she replied, "Okay. Put them all in the break room and I'll talk to them. Thank you, Detective."

As Brenda's door swung open, she looked up to see Will Pope entering. "Brenda, why is Detective Sanchez putting the entire Logan family in our break room?"

"Because I need to interview them." She spoke as though she was explaining something complicated to a ten year old.

"That family is in mourning. Is it really necessary to drag them down here en masse? The press has already gathered outside," he countered in a prickly tone.

"Look, you said that you need me to solve this case quickly and by the book. Well, that is what I'm doin'."

"Just hurry it up and get them out of here, will you please?" Irritation dripped from his words like water from a melting icicle.

As Pope left, Gabriel entered the office. "Chief, I learned something that I think you might like to know before you interview them. It sets up a possible motive."

"Let's hear it."

David took a seat opposite her and continued. "I was doing some checking into Gary Logan's political views. In addition to saying most blacks do not live up to America's values, he was an extremist who believed that all gays were guilty of felonies and should be rounded up and taken to an island and left there. He gave a speech in which he said that if it was good enough for the British to deal with felons by shipping them to Australia, it's good enough for us to deal with gays the same way. And since gays can't reproduce, the world would soon be rid of an ungodly scourge."

"Wow. He was a racist _and_ a homophobe, but what felonies?"

"He believed that homosexual conduct is a felony. But get this. He didn't want to waste time or taxpayer dollars on trials. He wanted all gays rounded up and deported immediately, and he urged all other countries to do the same thing. I've got a copy of two of his speeches and a position paper he wrote a few years ago for a conservative think tank," he said as he slid a sheaf of papers onto her desk.

"This is all very interestin'," she said as she looked through the highlighted pages. "Disgustin' and reprehensible too, but how does it go to motive?"

"Greg Logan is gay, and he arrived last night with his husband, Shawn Kelsey. Against Mr. Logan's orders they went to Canada and got married there. Mr. Logan was furious and tried to force Greg to leave his husband and return to LA for reparative therapy. When Greg refused he threatened to disinherit his son. And before he started his Congressional campaign he followed through on that threat. And since Gary Logan was worth over ten million dollars, it was both a personal and financial loss for Greg."

"Reparative therapy. So Gary Logan thought he could brain wash his son into becomin' straight. Well, isn't that an interestin' development? Thank you, Sergeant." He nodded and left.

Brenda read through the material David had accumulated on Gary Logan's political views and she picked up the phone. "Lieutenant Tao, I need you to contact every airline which had flights from Detroit to LA the day before and the day of the murder and see if any of the family, includin' Shawn Kelsey, purchased tickets. And since we are into videos, see if you can get the security footage three hours on either side of all flights to and from Detroit. Thank you."

Then she ate a piece of candy, gathered her papers, put them in her purse, and headed down the hall. But before she entered the break room, she stopped at Irene's desk and asked her to look into Joan Hillis. "I want to know whether she's gonna make a credible star witness," she lied. Then she asked Sgt. Gabriel, Det. Sanchez, and Lt. Flynn to come with her.

When they entered the break room, three tired faces turned toward her and she turned to the striking young auburn-haired woman in jeans and a cream colored blouse and said, "You must be Debbie. I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, and you must be Greg?"

A handsome young man dressed casually in a navy polo and expensive jeans said, "That's right."

"I'm so sorry to meet y'all under such sad circumstances and I certainly understand you're dealin' with your grief. But I'm afraid I need to talk to each of you so let's just get this out of the way as quickly as possible, shall we?"

Debbie replied, "What can we do to help you? We've got to finalize memorial service arrangements and arrange a funeral service just as soon as my brother can get here, so I'm sure you realize that time is at a premium."

"I do understand, Debbie. Actually, Mrs. Logan, I didn't realize that you were comin' down as well, but I'm glad you did. I've got a few more questions I need to ask you. Why don't you and I get this out of the way as quickly as possible? And Detective Sanchez and Lieutenant Flynn, will you both please escort Debbie and Greg to an interview room?"

After Sgt. Gabriel read her her rights Brenda handed her a written card with the Miranda Warning on it and asked her to sign it. As she signed it, Mrs. Logan explained, "I came in order to be a support for my children. They're just devastated. They both loved their father."

"I'm sure," Brenda replied. "But when we met before, you said that Greg and his father argued. Can you tell me what they argued about?"

"It's not important," Mrs. Logan dissembled.

Brenda refused to be deterred. "Oh, I'm afraid that it is."

"Greg wanted to stay in Detroit and his father wanted him to come home."

"Oh? Why did your husband want him to come back to Los Angeles?"

Mrs. Logan dropped her eyes and shifted her position. "This is hard for me to talk about, but Gary held traditional family values. I do too. You see, my son is gay."

"I understand, Mrs. Logan. But why did your husband want him to return to LA?"

"Gary had found a therapist who guaranteed that he could correct Greg's… problem. But Greg wouldn't have any part of it. He told his father that he was happy with the way he was and that he had no intention of trying to change."

"And how did Mr. Logan react to that?"

"He was heartsick, Chief Johnson. He loved Greg very much."

"Did he love him so much that he disinherited him?"

When Mrs. Logan heard that, she sank back into her chair and began crying. "He did love Greg. He was just so angry and upset that he couldn't get Greg to change. He thought that Greg had abandoned us by choosing Shawn and it was tearing him apart."

"I see. And how did Greg react to his father's rejection of him?"

Mrs. Logan's eyes widened and she spoke with alarm in her voice. "Surely you can't think that my son would murder his father! Greg adored his father. He wouldn't, he couldn't kill him."

"I have to look at all possibilities, Mrs. Logan."

"NO! YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WRONG PEOPLE!" she shouted. Then she stopped and was quiet for a minute before apologizing for her outburst. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand. Greg was upset. He'll tell you that himself. But he reacted by withdrawing, even from me. He didn't come charging home to confront his father."

"What about Debbie? How did she handle the news that her brother had been disinherited?"

"She was upset too. She begged Gary to change his mind but she wouldn't kill her father, either." Mrs. Logan dropped her head for a moment as she composed herself and then asked, "Are we finished here? I don't think I can handle anything else right now."

"Just a few more questions. How well do you know Greg's husband?"

"I haven't seen much of Shawn since Greg came out of the closet but he used to come over to the house with Greg all the time."

"Did Shawn fight with your husband?"

"No, but I knew that he was upset."

"How could you tell that?" Gabriel asked.

"I was on the extension and I could hear him in the background telling Greg how despicable Gary was behaving."

"Was that the only argument Greg and his father had?"

"No, there were others, but I think that one was the worst."

"Why isn't Mr. Kelsey here with y'all?"

"Shawn is in town, but he didn't think you'd need to interview him since your officer just asked Greg and Debbie to come."

"Of course. I know how upsettin' all this is for you so I'm gonna let you wait here for your children."

Brenda then walked into Interview Room 1 where Debbie was waiting. When she was seated she asked Det. Sanchez to read Debbie her rights before asking her to sign another copy of the Miranda Warning. Then she asked her to describe her relationship with her father.

"He was a loving father. He was strict with the boys growing up but I was 'Daddy's Little Girl' and I could do no wrong in his eyes."

Brenda smiled and replied, "I have three older brothers and I was my daddy's favorite too. I know it frustrated my brothers sometimes."

Now it was Debbie's turn to smile, "Me too. My brothers sometimes got blamed for some of the things I did."

"So how did you get along with your brothers?" Brenda had turned serious.

"Pretty much like normal siblings, I guess. We were all close in age and we fought a lot as kids but we're very close now."

"Oh? What did you fight about?"

"The usual, I guess. My brothers thought I was a pest, I'd take their toys… That kind of thing. It was all kids' stuff."

"How did you feel about your father's political views?"

"Well, I'm not as conservative as he was but we were raised with conservative values so Dad and I didn't clash too often. After he went into politics I just mostly kept my opinions to myself in order to avoid embarrassing him."

"So you two never argued politics?"

"Not argued, no. After I got my job in New York it was easy for me to just live my life the way I wanted to and avoid arguing with him."

"What about Greg's homosexuality? Did that affect family relationships?"

Debbie's eyes flew open. "Yes, I suppose it did. All of us were upset when Greg came out of the closet, although Billy said that he'd suspected it for a long time. Look, I still love Greg. He's still my brother."

"How about your father? How did Greg's disclosure affect their relationship?"

"Dad was furious. It almost seemed like he thought Greg turned gay deliberately to embarrass him."

"Did y'all fight about it?"

"Not too much. At least Mom, Billy and I didn't. I guess Greg and Dad fought about it, though."

"Because your father disinherited him."

"So you know about that too. I'm surprised."

"It's my job to learn all I can about family secrets since they often lead me to a killer. And I'm very good at my job."

"Then I suppose you know about my abortion. Please don't tell my family. It was four years ago and I never told them about it. That's another unforgivable sin and I don't want to lose my family the same way Greg did."

Brenda concealed her surprise and replied, "Are you sure that your family didn't know about your abortion?"

"Yes. There's no way they could have known and not brought it up. Believe me, both my mom and dad would have exploded. Please, _please_ don't say anything to anyone about it."

This evoked memories, not so distant, when Brenda feared that she might have to tell her own conservative family about an unplanned pregnancy and she was immediately sympathetic to Debbie's plight. "No, we're not the abortion police. I won't say anythin'. If your family didn't know about it then it wouldn't have been a factor in your father's murder."

After Debbie was dismissed, Brenda continued the interviews with her brother. "Greg, I understand that this is a difficult time for you but I have to solve your father's murder so I'm just gonna jump right in here. But first, Lieutenant Flynn?"

As he was Mirandized, Greg became agitated, "Yes, yes. I understand my rights. What is this? Do you think I murdered my father?"

"I don't know, Greg. Someone did, and it's my job to figure out who. The Miranda Warning is a legal requirement."

"I understand. It's just frightening to think I might be a suspect in my own father's murder."

"We have to rule out everybody we can so we always start with family first. It's just routine," Flynn explained.

"So, let's get started, shall we?" Brenda smiled at him and then had him sign a Miranda Warning card.

"All right. But first let me say that I was at work when my father was killed. Call my boss. He can verify it."

"All right, but first I really want to talk about your sexual orientation," Brenda said.

"My sexual orientation? What does that have to do with anything?"

"How did your father react when you came out?"

"He was furious and, yes, we argued a lot about it."

"Did he accuse you of tryin' to ruin his political career?"

"Well, at first he did but he really blamed my husband for that. He never did accept the fact that we got married."

"He blamed Shawn because you were gay?"

"Sort of. You see, Shawn has… well, powers."

"What do you mean by 'powers'?" Brenda asked.

"Well, Shawn knows things and sees things that no one else can see."

"You mean like a fortune teller?" Flynn asked.

"Not exactly. He doesn't read people's fortunes, but he has a sixth sense and he just knows when something is going to happen. He's almost never wrong in predicting the winner of the Super Bowl, but he doesn't do it for money."

"And your father didn't like him for that reason?"

"He thought Shawn was controlling me. Shawn's not like that, but we couldn't convince my father."

"So both you and Shawn fought with him? Did those fights ever become violent?"

"No, Shawn didn't fight with Dad. That was me, but the fights were all verbal. Most were over the phone because Shawn didn't feel comfortable in their home."

"How did you both feel when you heard that your father had disinherited you?"

"I was crushed. I really loved my father. And Shawn saw how hurt I was and it made him furious."

"Furious enough to kill your father?"

"No, of course not. Besides, he was in Detroit with me when my father was killed."

"Oh, do the two of you work together?"

"No, but he was in Detroit that day."

"Where do both of you work?" Flynn asked and explained, "We have to check out everybody's alibi."

"Fine. Neither one of us has anything to hide," Greg replied and gave Flynn the information.

"In case we need to talk to you again, are y'all stayin' with your family?"

"No, Shawn doesn't feel comfortable staying there so we're at the Wilshire. The room is registered in Shawn's name."

"One last thing since we're speakin' of Shawn… Where is he? Why isn't he here with you this mornin'?"

"He wanted to come with me but the patrol officer said that his instructions were to just bring me."

"Thank you. And I'm very sorry for your loss," Brenda said and, after Greg had left, she turned to Andy and said, "I think we need to talk to Shawn. But before we do, we need to do some more checkin'."

She then walked back down to the break room. "I want to thank y'all for comin' in. I think I have everythin' I need for right now so I'm gonna let you go. I know you have a lot that has to be done right now. Detective Sanchez will arrange your ride home."

* * *

><p>When Brenda opened the door she was greeted with the aroma of comfort food and a warm hug and kiss from Fritz.<p>

"Mmmm. What smells so good?"

"I stopped at Wilma Jean's Kitchen. It's chicken fried steak, turnip greens and biscuits."

"Fried okra?"

"No, they had stewed okra tonight so I didn't get any. The turnip greens will just have to do."

"That's okay. Neither one of us is all that crazy about stewed okra. I'm starvin'. Let me wash my hands and I'll set the table."

"It's already set."

"Thank you, honey. I'm exhausted and I could really use some comfort food tonight."

As they ate, she asked, "So, how is Agent Gersich doin' with his investigation?"

"I don't know. We haven't talked about it."

Brenda put her biscuit down and looked him in the eye. "How can you not ask him about it? You knew I'd want to know."

"That's a big reason for not asking. It may come as a surprise to you but he doesn't consider you his best bud. I have a good working relationship with the guy and I need to keep it that way."

"A lot of good you are."

"I brought chicken fried steak and biscuits, didn't I? I must be good for something."

This brought a smile to Brenda's lips, "Yes, you did. So I guess you're good for somethin' after all, even if you didn't ask about my case."

Fritz grinned back at her. "And to solidify my position I brought Wilma Jean's best homemade banana pudding."

When she had scraped her pudding dish with her spoon so much that she was in danger of wearing a hole in the glass, she looked up at him as suspicion took over. "Wait a minute. A southern dinner with my favorites? Is this part of some kind of campaign that you and Mama cooked up to get me to work on a weddin'?"

"No, but I really want us to set a date and…"

"How many times do I have to say it? I will not be pressured by you or my parents into a weddin'!"

Fritz's face fell. "Does that mean that you have no intention of ever marrying me?"

Brenda realized what she had just said. "No, that wasn't what I meant. It's just that I can't stand all this pressure. Why do you want me to set a weddin' date so badly, anyway?"

"Because I want to marry you. Do you think I gave you that ring just to be engaged? Because I didn't. I gave it to you because I want to marry you. Legal. Binding. On paper. Duly recorded in the County Clerk's office."

"But this ring lets everyone know that I'm committed to you, and we're together all the time, so what difference does a weddin' make?"

"It's the difference between a promise and fulfillment. And I want a marriage. A fully legal, binding, and committed marriage. It's not the wedding. It's the marriage I need."

"But everyone is pushin' me. You're pushin' me, Mama's pushin' me, and Will is pushin' me to solve this murder. And I can't stand it."

Fritz looked at her and sighed, "If you won't set a date, will you at least set a season, or even a year? Will you give me a clue as to how much longer I have to wait?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Brenda muttered and went into the bedroom and slammed the door.

_To Be Continued…_

**A/N: Review? Anyone?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

The next morning while driving into work, Brenda was still in turmoil. "I can't stand it when Fritzi pushes me. And he's always pushin' me. He knows how I feel about change." Her stomach felt like molten lava threatening to erupt so she bypassed her favorite pastry shop.

As if some unseen arbiter were listening, she put forth her evidence. "Just because I couldn't stop my case to go to the movies with him he threatened to stop datin' me and used his 'we'll just be friends' line to push me. And then he used his 'gonna move back to DC' line to get me to let him move in with me."

Just in case the "judge" wasn't convinced, she added, "And he moved all his stuff in from the garage to force me to move to a bigger place." Since a full head of steam is a terrible thing to waste, next she appealed to the judge's logic. "He knew how big my house was when he went on his campaign to move in with me. Where did he think all his stuff would fit?"

To tie up her case, she felt the need to connect the dots. "And now he's askin' if I ever intend to marry him. Of course, I'll marry him. I'm wearin' his ring, aren't I? But all this pressure he and Mama are puttin' on me is really aggravatin'. And he needs to stop. Or else I'll…"

She didn't know how to end that sentence. She loved Fritz deeply and completely and knew there was no way she'd ever consider leaving him, but setting a wedding date was a big step. Too big. And she also didn't want to explore her feelings or explain them even to an imaginary judge. Maneuvering into her parking spot, she felt that the evidence she'd put forth would have to suffice. So, as she pushed the elevator button, she also pushed all personal issues from her mind.

* * *

><p>Sgt. Gabriel saw her enter the Murder Room and jumped up to advise her that Lt. Tao had the new ballistics report she had requested and that he had obtained airport footage that he wanted her to see. He also mentioned that the Logan memorial service was scheduled for the following day.<p>

"Thank you, Sergeant. I'll take a look at it. And would you send a black and white to pick up Shawn Kelsey at his hotel? I need to interview him this mornin'. Thank you."

She walked into Electronics and asked, "Do you have the airport footage ready?"

"Yes, Chief. It's all queued up."

As she was watching the footage, Flynn, entered the room and said, "Kelsey is here. A patrolman is bringing him up in the elevator now. What do you want us to do with him?"

"Put him in Interview Room 2 and babysit him, please. But don't read him his rights until I get there. We're not quite ready to start tapin' yet."

When she had seen all the footage she turned smiling to Buzz, "So far we've been gettin' mostly feathers, but now it looks like we're gonna get some chicken."

Buzz snickered but Brenda ignored his reaction and continued, "I need a laptop with all this footage on it. Please bring it to me when I ask for it, not before. Thank you," and she left Electronics.

"Good mornin', Mr. Kelsey. I'm sorry to have dragged you down here this mornin' but I didn't get a chance to speak to you yesterday. Lieutenant Flynn, will you please read Mr. Kelsey his rights?"

Flynn responded by Mirandizing Kelsey who replied, "Yes, I understand. But why are you Mirandizing me? I don't need a lawyer. I'm not involved, except to be a support for my husband."

"I understand, sir, but we have to read their rights to everyone we see here. And I have one more piece of bureaucratic red tape. I need you to sign this card," and she handed him the same type of card that she'd asked the others to sign. As he signed she observed, "I see you're a southpaw. My oldest brother is left-handed too."

Shawn smiled and pushed the card across the table to Brenda. "I prefer to think of it as being in my right mind."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," she smiled. "It'll make this interview go much faster. So let's start by describin' your relationship with Greg. How did the two of you meet?"

Shawn described meeting at a Gay Pride rally in San Francisco. They began dating immediately but had to keep their relationship a secret because of Mr. Logan's anti-gay beliefs. Greg didn't want to do anything which would damage his relationship with his father or put his father's political career at risk. When Shawn received a job opportunity in Detroit, Greg searched for one there, as well, so they could move together. After they had lived together for ten months they went across the river to Canada and got married.

"Was that possible for non-Canadians?" Brenda asked.

"Yes, it's possible but it wasn't an issue in our case because I'm a Canadian citizen. I was born in Toronto. Actually, I have dual citizenship. My father was born in the U.S. and my mother is Canadian."

"I see. Does your family live in Canada?"

"I'm an only child. My father died in 2002 and my mother came to the U.S. to live after his death. She lives in Detroit now too."

"Does she live with you and Greg?" Flynn asked.

"No. She has her own place but she's close enough that we can go there for dinner occasionally."

"That's nice. Family is so important. I know I miss my family," Brenda smiled as he nodded in agreement. "So tell me, Shawn, how do you get on with Greg's family?"

"Not too well, I'm afraid. The Logans are very conservative and they don't think much of gays."

"Yes, Greg said that there was some conflict with his father over that."

"It was terrible for Greg. Gary just couldn't accept the fact that he had a gay son and he tried to force him to leave me and move back home to receive some kind of bogus treatment from a quack therapist he'd found," Shawn said bitterly.

"Mr. Logan insisted on that, even after you and Greg got married? Oh, my! That must have been hard on you both."

"Yes, it was. When we first met, Gary and I got along fine but when he discovered Greg's and my true relationship, Gary refused to acknowledge me in any way."

"A minute ago you said that Mr. Logan tried to force Greg to return to Los Angeles. Since Greg is over twenty-one I was wonderin' how he tried to force him."

Shawn let out a long breath. "Gary told Greg that once he was elected to Congress that he would use his influence to have me deported unless he returned home and received therapy."

"But he couldn't do that since you're a dual citizen, could he?"

"No, he couldn't. And when Greg told him that, Gary said that he'd have my mother's paperwork revoked and have her deported instead."

"But he was a minor candidate with no real chance of winnin'."

"He had made some very influential friends in high office, though, so it wasn't an empty threat."

"Is that why you killed him?"

"What? I didn't kill him."

"I think you did, and we're buildin' a solid case based on a lot of evidence that will convince a jury of that too," Brenda replied evenly.

"There isn't any evidence because I didn't do it."

"All right, then can you tell me where you were on the day that Mr. Logan was murdered?"

"I was in Detroit, at work. Call my boss. He'll verify that."

Flynn leaned forward over the table and said in a low, menacing voice and with a smile to match, "Oh, we already have, buddy boy. And guess what? Your boss not only told us that you were not at work that day, he also told us about your phone call to him begging him to back up your phony alibi."

When Shawn didn't reply, Brenda turned to the camera and said, "Buzz, the laptop, please." A minute later there was a knock on the door and Brenda accepted the laptop.

As she set it up she explained, "You see, Shawn, you were taped goin' through security screenin' at DTW," and she turned the computer so he could see the screen. "Note the date and time stamp. And here you are comin' down the concourse at LAX. Now you're rentin' a red Toyota Camry from BestWay Auto Rentals. And this glamour shot is of you buyin' a gun and silencer at the Bullseye Guns & Ammo Trade Show 45 minutes later. Note the khaki anorak you're wearin' with the large front pocket, just perfect for hidin' your new gun."

"I just went to talk to him. I just wanted him to understand that what he was trying to do was destroying Greg. I didn't kill him," Shawn insisted.

"Really? Because here's some more film of you runnin' out of Tillner's with blood on your jacket. How'd you get that blood on you, Shawn?"

"That's not blood. It's taco sauce from lunch. Like I said, I went to try to talk to him but I got there too late. Someone else shot him before I could get to him."

"Taco sauce? Well, we can clear that up quickly. Where is your jacket?"

"It's in Detroit. I took it to the dry cleaners."

"No, Shawn, you didn't. You carried it to the airport in that green plastic bag, along with your gun and silencer," she said as she showed him the film of him taking the bag out of his rental car when he returned it at the airport. "Then you stuffed it in a trash can. An attendant found it when she was cleanin' and turned it in. Here it is," she said as she removed the bag from her purse and set the blood-stained jacket on the table. She unfolded it to reveal the gun and silencer. "Ballistics has confirmed that the bullet which killed Gary Logan was fired from this gun."

When Shawn saw it, his face turned white and he began fidgeting. "You can't prove that's mine."

"Well, the blood spatter matches the picture of you wearin' it on the security tape. And we've typed the blood. It matches Gary Logan's. And we've already begun DNA testin' on both the blood and on your finger prints we found all over the jacket. And those prints match the finger prints on the gun."

Watching from the Electronics Room, Pope chuckled and Gabriel laughed out loud. Provenza shook his head saying, "I've been watching her do this for four years now and I still can't believe that she gets away with it every single time."

"I wonder if Agent Howard knows how much she lies?" Taylor asked and everyone laughed.

In desperation Shawn demanded, "I want a lawyer."

"Fine, you have the right to one but I think it's a mistake. You see, I know some of the Deputy District Attorneys. And I might be able to persuade one of them to offer you a deal. But in order to get it, you've got to talk to me first. But you're entitled to a phone call. Lieutenant Flynn, please give him your phone so he can call a lawyer," and she got up and turned toward the door.

"Here ya go. Just make sure you call an attorney with death penalty experience," Flynn said ominously as he put his cell phone in front of Shawn.

"No, wait!" Shawn was alarmed.

Brenda turned back. "Mr. Kelsey, you've asked for an attorney. I can't talk to you again unless you revoke."

"All right, I revoke."

"So, for the record, you are revokin' your request to be represented by counsel at this time?"

"Yes, I am."

"And do you wish to make a confession to killin' Gary Logan to be given to the District Attorney's office?"

"Yes. I need to explain."

"All right, you have one chance. Start explainin'."

Shawn let out a long breath, then continued, "I don't know if you're going to understand this or not… I see things."

"Yes, Greg told me that you have a sixth sense about thangs."

"That's right, I do. Please understand. I could see that my family was going to be torn apart. And I was trying to prevent that from happening. Gary wasn't going to change so I had to kill him. I couldn't let Gary destroy my family."

"Gary Logan didn't destroy your family, Shawn. You did." Brenda removed a yellow legal pad and a pen from her purse and passed them across the table. "Write down your complete confession and don't leave anythin' out and I'll see what I can do."

She then returned to the Murder Room, stopping at Irene's desk. "What have you been able to find out about Joan Hillis?"

"I didn't find much. No criminal record. She was born and raised here and went to UCLA where she graduated with honors. She worked at a series of fairly low income jobs and apparently never married. That's all I found."

"Thank you, Detective Daniels," Brenda replied just as Will entered the Murder Room.

"Good work," Pope was all smiles.

"Oh, thanks, but I'm not done yet. I've got to go tell Mr. Logan's family what has happened. I don't want them to hear it on the news. So if you could ask Taylor to hold off on a press conference for a couple of hours, I'd appreciate it."

Pope nodded and said, "Of course. Then go on home. Flynn and Provenza can take care of the booking."

"Thanks. I will. Just as soon as I meet with the Logans."

* * *

><p>Fritz was completing his report on disrupting a shipment of illegal arms intended for a startup Sovereign Citizens group when his concentration was interrupted by a knock on his door. He looked up to see his boss entering.<p>

"Fritz, are you aware that Commander Taylor has just held a press conference announcing the arrest of Gary Logan's killer?"

"No, I've been working on my report," he replied. Although his voice was calm he could tell by the look on Dave's face, that he wasn't feeling at all calm.

"But I'm sure you know who made that arrest," Dave said flatly.

"Since you said Commander Taylor made the announcement, it's a pretty safe assumption that the LAPD did." Still looking at his boss' face, Fritz knew what was coming next and he felt his stomach threatening to leave his body and run out of the room.

"Right. More specifically, Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson made the arrest. I wonder how she was able to solve the case so quickly when we were not."

"All I can tell you is that she has been working late. That's the way she works. When she starts a case she keeps going until she solves it. And she had her case before Paul was assigned."

"Are you telling me that you were not aware that she solved this case?"

"No, I wasn't. I knew that she was investigating the murder, but I haven't talked to her about it since she called asking if she could review the material we had on the threats Logan had received. And, by the way, when she asked I told her Pope would have to request that from Dir. Walling."

"So you haven't divulged any information about this case to the LAPD?"

"I stayed completely out of it. I haven't talked to either Paul or Brenda about it. I'll even take a polygraph if you want," Fritz replied angrily.

This brought a sigh, "No, no polygraph. But I'm damned sick of that woman's behavior."

"Her _behavior_? Dave, she investigated a murder and solved it. That's her job."

Dave didn't reply. He just shook his head as he walked back to office leaving Fritz to rub his temples.

* * *

><p>As Brenda opened her back door, she heard Fritz say, "Let me discuss it with Brenda and I'll let you know."<p>

"Who was that? And what are we gonna discuss?"

"That was Claire. She asked if she could officiate at our wedding."

"So now Claire is pressurin' me too?"

"No, she doesn't know that you're feeling pressured. She's just volunteering. No dates were discussed."

Brenda nodded and went into the bedroom to change her clothes.

* * *

><p>Several days later Brenda was getting ready to leave for the day when her cell phone rang. She smiled when she saw the caller ID. "Hi, Fritzi."<p>

"Hi, honey. I'm on a detail in Los Feliz and I'm wondering if you'd like to meet me at Tillner's for dinner, or have you had enough of the place?"

She chuckled, "No, Tillner's is fine. I can taste the coconut cream pie already."

"Okay. I shouldn't be too much longer so why don't we just meet there?"

"I'm ready to go now so I'll get us a table and wait for you."

* * *

><p>Brenda did indeed arrive at Tillner's before Fritz so she just took a table and asked for an ice tea. While she was waiting the door opened. She turned to signal to Fritz but it wasn't him. It was Joan Hillis, instead. <em>I wonder what she would have done if I had taken her regular table,<em> she mused.

But Joan didn't sit in her usual place. Instead she approached Brenda and asked, "May I have a seat?"

Startled, Brenda replied, "Certainly." When she was seated Brenda recovered and very pointedly asked, "I'd like to know why you stare at us all the time."

"Of course. But first let me congratulate you on finding Mr. Logan's killer. You didn't have a lot to go on."

"Thank you. Actually, your description of the people runnin' out of here was crucial to catchin' the killer. Now, why do you stare at us? What's so interestin' about us?"

"You are," Joan replied. When she saw Brenda's surprise she explained, "You are extremely conflicted about something having to do with the gentleman you come here with. I see that you're wearing an engagement ring so I suspect he's your fiancé, and I also suspect that you're afraid."

"I am not afraid of my fiancé, Ms. Hillis."

"No, not of him. It's plain to see that you both love each other. But I also see that you're afraid to let your relationship grow. The other day when you were here working, I saw a tremendous amount of strength. But I don't see that same strength when you're with your fiancé. I see fear mixed with love."

Brenda didn't say anything, but her surprised expression gave her away so Joan continued. "Since I can see that you love him I suspect that it has to do with your past relationships."

"Well, that's just ridiculous. You don't know us. You didn't even know my name until my detective told you."

"No, I didn't. But I don't need to know your name to see your fear. And concluding that your fear is based on something, or some things, that happened in your past is based on how much you love your fiancé. It's clear to me that it has nothing to do with him, except maybe your fear of losing him because of something in your past, probably past relationships, as I said."

This was too much for Brenda. "Are you some kind of tea leaf reader?" she asked, anger infusing her words.

Joan smiled, "No, I'm not. But I can see your fear and I can feel your resistance. That hostility you're feeling is a result of your fear, and I want to tell you that everything is going to be resolved. You don't have to fear going forward."

"So, even though you don't know either one of us you're gonna resolve what you think is our fear?" Brenda replied sarcastically.

"No, that is not my role. Someone else will make your fears clear to you."

"I see. Well, this is all very interestin' but neither one of us needs help with our relationship," Brenda said defensively.

"As I said, that is not my role. That will be someone else," Joan replied evenly.

"And who might that be?"

"I don't know, but he or she will be able to help you face your fear."

"You can see my emotions, but you can't see who this other person is?" Brenda sneered.

"No, I can't," Joan replied simply, "But I can see that you and your fiancé love each other, and that's a beautiful thing. Some people live their whole lives without experiencing what you have. Don't throw it away out of fear."

Brenda looked into her eyes and saw wells of profound sadness there and did not know how to respond. She saw sadness all the time in her job and had learned to harden herself against it. But this was different. It flowed from Joan Hillis' eyes straight into the depths of Brenda's soul.

She had been so focused on Joan that she had not noticed Fritz enter. When he walked up to the table, he looked at Joan. "Hello. I'm Fritz Howard."

"Oh, honey, I didn't see you come in. This is Joan Hillis."

He took his seat next to Brenda. "I'm pleased to meet you. Will you be joining us for dinner?"

Joan smiled and stood up. "No, thank you. I just needed to speak with your fiancée for a moment." Then she turned to Brenda and said, "Give yourself permission to move forward," and took her seat at her usual table.

"What was that all about?"

"I'm not sure. I don't want to talk about it now. I'm hungry so let's just eat, okay?" Brenda replied as she handed Fritz a menu. But instead of reading the specials she stared at Joan.

_The End_

**A/N: And now, please leave your review. It's important.  
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